That whirring sound you hear is Henry Ford and Louis Chevrolet revving up in their graves. Why? Because Chevy and Ford are collaborating on automatic-transmission design and development. This has been going on for more than a decade, with the first fruits of this cooperation appearing as the six-speed automatic transaxle currently in wide use throughout Ford and General Motors.

-

Based on that trial’s success, the Detroit rivals agreed to an additional program in 2013 covering new nine- and 10-speed automatics. Ford already is producing the jointly developed 10-speed for F-series trucks; the Mustang is expected to get it soon, too. Chevrolet’s Camaro ZL1 arrives soon with GM’s version, followed by eight additional 2018 models. The nine-speed is for transverse applications. As Ford led the development of the longitudinal 10-speed, GM Powertrain engineers led the design of the nine-speed. Chevrolet has just introduced the Hydra-Matic 9T50 for the 2017 Cruze diesel, the 2017 Malibu, and the all-new 2018 Equinox, with additional applications to follow.

-

-

Competitors enter these sorts of agreements from time to time because designing new transmissions is a labor- and resource-intensive process, and few customers know or care where their transmissions come from. In spending the same time and investment dollars required to engineer one transmission, Ford and GM reaped two new state-of-the-art designs. The same parts used by both companies are identified with different Ford and GM part numbers. Even though the hardware is common, each company writes its own software code to achieve distinctive operating characteristics.

-

Every maker is adding gear ratios to improve drivability and fuel efficiency. A sufficiently low gear is needed to launch the vehicle smartly from a stoplight. Extra gears facilitate snappy acceleration through the full speed range. Then, when the driver lifts off to cruise the interstate, an overdrive gear reduces rpm to hold the engine at a quiet and efficient operating point. Narrowing the space between ratios with more gears minimizes driveline disturbance while increasing the number of shifts. The new nine-speed has an overall ratio spread of 7.6 versus the outgoing six-speed’s 6.0.

-

-

The 9-speed automatic will also be found in the redesigned 2018 Chevrolet Equinox SUV.

-

-

Computer-aided design and a few clever touches helped GM Powertrain engineers pack five planetary gearsets, four stationary brakes, and three rotating clutches into the existing six-speed’s space. The new transmission weighs an additional 22 pounds, a fair price to pay for the expected 2 percent gain in fuel efficiency.

-

More than 60 patents filed by GM cover innovations such as replacing the two clutches previously used to control reverse and first gears with a single, more compact device called a selectable one-way clutch. Computer-controlled solenoids manage all shifting functions. A large hydraulic pressure accumulator supports the essential engine stop/start function. The new elliptical-cross-section torque converter is more compact and provides three operating modes: full slippage, partial slippage, and full lockup. Gears are skipped in certain accelerating and coasting conditions to improve smoothness. Automatic downshifts provide engine braking on downgrades.

In manual mode (what GM calls range select), the driver can hold a gear with engine rpm at or near the redline. Final-drive ratios ranging between 2.89:1 and 3.81:1 are available, and this nine-speed is engineered for four-cylinder, V-6, front-, and all-wheel-drive applications.

-

The Hydra-Matic 9T50 will be available in 10 models throughout GM by the end of 2017. While Ford hasn’t yet revealed its plans to implement the nine-speed automatic, rest assured that it’s not about to lag behind in the ratio race.

-]]>http://blog.caranddriver.com/chevrolet-debuts-nine-speed-automatic-slated-for-malibu-cruze-diesel-and-new-equinox/feed/06731472018 Corvette Stingray ZR1 Spied Flaunting Its Insane Aero Packagehttp://www.caranddriver.com/news/2018-corvette-stingray-zr1-spy-photos-news
http://blog.caranddriver.com/?p=348375http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2018-corvette-stingray-zr1-spy-photos-news#respondMon, 28 Nov 2016 23:19:09 +0000Don Sherman-What It Is: The last hurrah and ultimate expression of the current seventh-generation Corvette is in the final throes of testing and development at GM’s Milford, Michigan, proving ground. Armed with significant aero, chassis, and powertrain upgrades, the ZR1 should provide Ferrari 488GTB performance for less than half the price. READ MORE ››-]]>http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2018-corvette-stingray-zr1-spy-photos-news/feed/06719072017 Toyota Sienna AWD Tested: Improved Power and Economyhttp://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2017-toyota-sienna-awd-test-review
http://blog.caranddriver.com/?p=336687http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2017-toyota-sienna-awd-test-review#respondTue, 08 Nov 2016 22:23:41 +0000Don Sherman-

The minivan has been the Rodney Dangerfield of the auto world for most of its 33-year existence. Theories abound as to why the minivan never gets the respect it deserves despite being the world’s most versatile transportation appliance. Could it be because the “mini” appellation no longer fits, especially for the 200-inch-long Toyota Sienna reviewed here? Some blame the sliding doors. Others insist the beveled-shoebox shape is sexless. READ MORE ››

To our knowledge, the Cherokee Nation has never officially contested the use of its hallowed name on five generations of the Jeep Cherokee. The model name has been around since 1974 and has even been used in Europe. Whatever cultural appropriation issues it might raise today, the badge is at least worn on a vehicle native to this continent. The Toledo, Ohio–built compact crossover holds its own against more than a dozen domestic, Asian, and European competitors and has become the Jeep brand’s best-seller, topping both the Wrangler and the Grand Cherokee through October of this year. READ MORE ››

For ages, automakers have been searching for a practical means of varying an engine’s compression ratio on the fly. How hard the air—and sometimes the fuel—is squeezed before ignition plays a crucial role in overall efficiency: Compressing the mixture as much as possible without detonation yields a longer expansion ratio and more power for every increment of fuel consumed. Since the compression ratio is determined by basic engine geometry (the cylinder volume with the piston at the bottom of its travel versus the top), that isn’t easily changed. One expedient now in wide use is combining the Atkinson cycle with variable valve timing. But Infiniti has made a ­significant stride with its Variable Compression-Turbo (VC-T). This boosted 2.0-liter four-cylinder, the product of two decades of research and 300 patents, will power unspecified Infiniti models beginning in 2018. Here’s how it works:

-

-

The key enabler is a piece Infiniti calls the “multi-link,” (001) a diamond-shaped component that replaces the connecting rod’s big end and allows computer control over each cylinder’s compression ratio.

Infiniti claims VC-T is capable of providing any desired compression ratio between 8:1 and 14:1. Bumping the ratio to 14:1 during light-throttle cruising maximizes fuel efficiency. Then, when the driver dips into the throttle, the compression ratio can drop as turbo boost rises, avoiding detonation. Infiniti hasn’t yet revealed any power, torque, or mileage ratings but claims that VC-T will combine the power of a 2.0-liter turbo gasoline engine with the torque and efficiency of a similarly sized diesel. Many auto­makers have experimented with compound-connecting-­rod and moving-cylinder mechanisms, but Infiniti appears to be the first to solve the durability issues of a crankcase stuffed with links and levers.

-

-

-

-

Stroker Ace

-

Honda has filed a patent in Japan for an engine in which each cylinder has a different stroke, their altering displacements translating to varied power potential and fuel consumption. The goal is to take fuller advantage of cylinder deactivation. When, for the purposes of saving fuel, the engine-control computer deactivates cylinders, it will be able to pick and choose which cylinders to drop to best match power and efficiency with the demands placed on the engine. If it moves beyond the developmental phase, it will still be years out. But probably not the 20 years Infiniti has into its VC-T. –Jared Gall

BMW baked this automotive version of a German chocolate cake to celebrate the M3’s 30th birthday: an M Competition package containing a 444-hp 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six (a 19-hp upgrade over the standard M3), 20-inch wheels and tires, a retuned Adaptive M suspension, revised exhaust plumbing, and a few distinctive exterior-design touches. This $5500 delicacy is available on both the M3 and its coupe kin, the M4, but not the M4 convertible. READ MORE ››

Unless you own and drive a pickup, you may regard them as rolling chicanes impeding your daily commute. That they do, but full-size haulers own such a fat slice of the U.S. auto market that six brands fight mercilessly over every sale. During the first nine months of 2016, large pickup trucks accounted for one of every eight new vehicles sold, and the best-selling pickup, Ford’s F-150, outsells the Toyota Camry, the best-selling passenger car, two to one. Factor in the lucrative margins attached to a $50,000 truck, and it’s clear why sales in this segment are worth fighting for. READ MORE ››

Brock Yates, Car and Driver’s Assassin, lost his long battle with Alzheimer’s on October 5, 2016. We take solace in the words he crafted for this publication, his screenplays, and his books, a legacy that long ago became permanent and prominent chapters of the American legend.

-

Yates was born in Lockport, New York, in 1933, the son of Raymond F. Yates, a prolific writer who introduced Americans to the age of telecommunication with his 1929 book ABC of Television. Inspired by his father’s prose, Yates began contributing articles to Science and Mechanics magazine while still in high school. Upon graduation, he studied at Hobart College in Geneva, New York, and later served in the U.S. Navy.

-

Yates joined Car and Driver in 1964, as managing editor—although he claimed no experience in either managing or editing. The task at hand, envisioned by editor and publisher David E. Davis, Jr., was lifting Car and Driver up and out of the mediocrity miring the day’s automotive publications. Along with Leon Mandel, Steve Smith, and Patrick Bedard, Davis and Yates sharpened their wits and words to venture well beyond routine race reports and road tests. Nicknamed “car and social commentary,” this publication nominated Dan Gurney for president, toasted the day’s brightest engineers and executives, and mounted vicious attacks on those deemed impediments to the automobile’s advancement. Yates earned his Assassin sobriquet with a 1968 exposé of Detroit’s intransigence titled The Grosse Pointe Myopians, which accurately forecast the rise of Japanese-made cars in America. The barbs of Yates’s pen sank deep and often into early safety advocates Ralph Nader and Joan Claybrook.

-

-

Bored with tilting at windmills, Yates created the Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash in 1971, a coast-to-coast public road race. Although it was never officially sanctioned by this publication, the inaugural test run and four additional sprints following the rules-free format made memorable reading in Car and Driver. Yates and Dan Gurney won the first race in just under 36 hours in 1971 with a (borrowed) Ferrari 365GTB/4 Daytona. About that exploit, Gurney noted, “At no time did we exceed 175 mph.” When Hollywood took notice, Yates teamed with stuntman and director Hal Needham to write the screenplays for Smokey and the Bandit II and The Cannonball Run I and II, which, together, earned more than $100 million at the box office.

-

Yates penned 15 books, sharing his insights as an amateur racer in Sunday Driver and untold drama in Enzo Ferrari: The Man, The Cars, The Races, The Machine. He contributed to Car and Driver as an editor at large for four decades, but Yates and Davis exchanged virulent verbal assaults through the 1980s. These sumos of the written word eventually shook hands and resumed their friendship.

-

Yates departed Car and Driver in 2006. In addition to the millions of car enthusiasts he nurtured and the scores of C/D editors he inspired with his brilliant writing, Yates leaves behind a wife he lovingly called Lady Pamela, sons Brock, Jr., and Daniel, a daughter, Claire Lilly, and a stepdaughter, Stacy Bradley. Contributions to the Brock Yates Tribute Fund can be made through the Alzheimer’s Association at act.alz.org.

The last time we visited the Baja Peninsula to drive an Audi—see “Escape from Baja” from C/D’s July 1983 issue—we were drenched by a tsunami triggered by a major earthquake in Japan. This time, it’s hot, peaceful, and relaxing. We’re on our best behavior at the Cabo San Lucas resort destination for two reasons: Audi has begun building Q5s in a new plant located 1250 miles southeast of here, and preproduction versions of this 2018 crossover are available for test drives. READ MORE ››

At least one top Corvette program manager was in attendance, and the fleet included both coupe and convertible examples of the 2018 ZR1 we expect to appear in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. As we’ve previously reported, the ZR1 likely will be the last hurrah for the C7 generation, with an estimated 750 horsepower locked and loaded under the hood. After a short run, it will give way to the mid-engined C8 Corvette.

-

-

Visit CorvetteBlogger to see more images, which reveal racy five-spoke star wheels and two sizes of rear wings. We’ve also embedded a video captured by one of the site’s readers, so you can hear the edgy but deeply guttural soundtrack that will have Corvette fans reaching reflexively for their wallets.

In the beginning, Karl Benz created the Patent-Motorwagen, and the car was born—at least that’s the first verse in the Good Book according to Mercedes-Benz. Two years ago, Hyundai announced its own creation story, assigning the Genesis name to a new line of luxury cars that would be sold by Hyundai dealers. Rid of both the Hyundai nameplate and that brand’s everyday-affordablity emphasis, Genesis aims to be a fresh alternative to the 100-year-old premium labels. READ MORE ››

Four years ago, Chevrolet Corvette manual-transmission supplier Tremec aspired to achieve greater global reach. Instead of reinventing the helical gear to enter the thriving dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) business, this Mexico-based manufacturer simply shopped for a company that already possessed the expertise it needed. Tremec was drawn to Hoerbiger Drivetrain Mechatronics because of that Belgian firm’s proven relationships with Mercedes-AMG, Ferrari, and McLaren. A deal was cut and Tremec now owns Hoerbiger lock, stock, and gear hobber.

-

The prodigy from these two parental units is Tremec’s TR-9007 family of dual-clutch automatics that can be assembled in rear-drive, all-wheel-drive, and transaxle configurations. Prototypes of the mid-engine 2019 Chevrolet Corvette in light camouflage captured by our photographers are evidence of the testing for drivability and durability of the Tremec transaxles slated for customer delivery in 2018.

-

-

Tremec engineering documents show a 9000-rpm maximum input speed and a 664-lb-ft torque capacity, both of which should cover C8 Corvette needs quite nicely. The TR-9007’s die-cast aluminum housing contains seven forward gears, three of which are overdrive ratios, and a 5.6:1 ratio spread. Tremec describes the twin engagement devices as “virtually dry wet clutches.”

-

DCTs use helical gears instead of a conventional automatic’s planetary gears. Because hydraulic and friction losses are generally lower than other automatics, DCTs can improve efficiency. There is no interruption of torque delivery during upshifts, so DCTs typically beat the stick-shift alternative in acceleration.

Our suspicion is that General Motors will not follow our suggestion to Save the Manuals due to the cost and complexity of offering two transmissions. In other words, Tremec’s TR-9007 seven-speed DCT will be the one and only transmission available when the 2019 Corvette arrives in less than two years.

Last spring, BMW invited us to drive the new-for-2018 5-series sedan in what was described as “early-development” form. That’s code for European-spec cars cloaked in camouflage inside and out, with a chassis still using interim calibrations. This experience turned out to be a brain-picking session. Before key settings were finalized for production—scheduled to begin before the end of this year—our BMW hosts wanted to know our opinions of where they’re heading with the brand’s second-best-selling product line (globally), behind only the 3-series. We’re now finally allowed to share them with you. READ MORE ››

That subtle background noise you hear isn’t just the ticking of four cylinders where six formerly lived. It’s the gnashing of teeth over the fact that Porsche downsized cylinder count and piston displacement to a mere 2.5 liters for the top, S edition of the 2017 718 Boxster. Our anxiety centers on the move by Porsche—along with practically every other auto manufacturer—from natural aspiration to smaller, theoretically more efficient, boosted induction. In case you’ve been napping, turbocharging is how makers maintain performance while diminishing the amount of fuel consumed and the CO2 spewing from their tailpipes. READ MORE ››

-]]>http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2017-porsche-boxster-s-manual-test-review/feed/06703932017 Ford Fusion Sport First Drive: The 325-hp Family Sedan Is Here!http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2017-ford-fusion-sport-first-drive-review
http://blog.caranddriver.com/?p=320028http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2017-ford-fusion-sport-first-drive-review#respondWed, 31 Aug 2016 22:30:27 +0000Don Sherman-How does any automaker claw its way up the tortuous mid-size family-sedan staircase? Besides getting the basics right—like packaging and technology—power, performance, and driving poise are three P’s that most tickle our fancy. Realizing this, Ford aspires to move its Fusion up from the bottom half of the pack with a new Sport package for the otherwise mildly revised 2017 model. Having now driven the Sport, we can say that those who own our favorite mid-sizers—the Mazda 6, Chevrolet Malibu, and Honda Accord—had better watch their mirrors for a black mesh grille closing fast in the passing lane. READ MORE ››-]]>http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2017-ford-fusion-sport-first-drive-review/feed/0Wind River Systems Working on Transferring Outer Space to the Automotive Spacehttp://blog.caranddriver.com/wind-river-systems-working-on-transferring-outer-space-to-the-automotive-space/
http://blog.caranddriver.com/?p=309159http://blog.caranddriver.com/wind-river-systems-working-on-transferring-outer-space-to-the-automotive-space/#respondMon, 29 Aug 2016 19:52:31 +0000Don Sherman-

Conventional wisdom insists that all the modern intelligence encompassing software, consumer electronics, social media, electric cars, and autonomous vehicles resides in Silicon Valley. And that today’s car companies, especially the three in Detroit, are heading the way of the buggy whip because their thinking is sluggish and their automaking craft too antiquated to keep pace with the rapidly accelerating connectivity, mobility, and automated-transportation movement.

-

Marques McCammon, connected-vehicle solutions general manager at Wind River Systems, recently burst that bubble at a suburban Detroit gathering of the world’s leading telematics experts. The word he used to pop obsolete thinking is “partner,” specifically in the phrase, “When you set out to build something that must work, you need a great partner.” In essence, success is more likely when West Coast and Motor City forces set their sights on the stars together.

-

McCammon, who characterizes his early career as metal bending, cut his teeth in the car business with stints at Chrysler and the aftermarket specialty firms ASC and Saleen. Later, he was the chief marketing officer for the three-wheeler company Aptera, an electric-car startup operation that went down in flames in 2011.

-

Calling McCammon a master of landing on his feet is no exaggeration. Wind River (WR) is one of those familiar garage-to-riches stories. Founded in 1981 by an escapee from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, WR quickly became one of the leading computer-science enterprises. The company’s VxWorks operating system for embedded devices launched in 1987 and was crucial to the success of one NASA mission after another: Clementine moon probes, space-shuttle control systems, Mars rover exploration. VxWorks also is a go-to favorite for commercial and military aircraft including the B-1 bomber, the Boeing 787, and Grumman unmanned combat planes. In other words, this is rocket science in its purest form.

-

-

In 2009, WR became a subsidiary of Intel, one of the world’s most successful semiconductor chipmakers. That year WR also founded an alliance to develop an open-source infotainment platform with six leading “metal benders”: BMW, General Motors, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Delphi, Visteon, and Magneti Marelli. Two years later, the first BMW system was ready for implementation.

-

Now McCammon is a font of wisdom gained from his access to rocket science, brought down to earth for road use:

-

“Don’t boil the ocean. Set realistic goals, and minimize the scope of the program when its success is a must.

-

“Focus on the rocket, not the launchpad. In other words, the consumer experience is what matters most.

-

“Nurture the architects. They are, after all, responsible for innovation. Never isolate the inventors from recent discoveries.

-

“Enable the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly.

-

“The software needed for autonomous driving is similar to what’s used to land a rover on Mars, in that it cannot fail. Safety and security must be intertwined.”

In essence, this is the transfer of Wind River’s VxWorks software from outer space to the automotive space. One of the first liaisons is with the Austria-based firm TTTech, which is developing an electronic control unit called TTADrive for future automotive use. In 2014, Audi and TTTech showcased a prototype of this equipment in a self-driving car at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

-

Wind River has other car-centric projects in the works. However, due to the proprietary nature of these relationships, they firm is hesitant to acknowledge implementation timetables or even the brands it’s collaborating with. At least the model for future success is evident: advancing 100-plus years of car-building expertise to new heights with software that has already explored the heavens.

Big Sur forest fires that cast an eerie glow on setting suns and rising moons dusted the world’s most magnificent cars and motorcycles with fly ash. While more than 200 entrants at this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance fretted over that, Richard Mattei faced a grander concern. At 5:30 p.m. local time, when announcer Derek Hill proclaimed his 1936 Lancia Astura Best of Show, Mattei had to pick the perfect champagne for toasting what just may be the best day in his lucky life.

-

Mattei, a humble man and avid Alfa Romeo collector from Paradise Valley, Arizona, was happy just to be invited to show at Pebble, especially since this was his first time in the field. Six of these Tipo Bocca Lancia four-place cabrios originally were built for a Biella, Italy, Lancia dealer. This particular car was distinguished by a power top, curved side glass, and specially engraved bright trim encircling the custom Pinin Farina coachwork. Inside, the seat backrests are leather, trimmed in a basket-weave pattern, and the instruments have wood-grain faces. English instead of metric speedometer markings hint that the first owner was probably British.

-

The Astura name was inspired by a monumental castle built on Italy’s west coast south of Rome. Before World War II, this was Italy’s most prestigious and luxurious line of cars, prompting Benito Mussolini to proclaim it “official government transportation.” A 2.9-liter V-8 rated at 82 horsepower provided excellent performance and mannerly cruising in conjunction with a four-speed transmission. Lancia specialized in narrow-angle V engines, and this compact design had but 19 degrees between cylinder banks, allowing a single head containing one camshaft to serve eight cylinders. A steel ladder frame equipped with a sliding pillar front suspension and a rigid rear axle supported the custom coachwork on a 122.0-inch wheelbase. The Italian word bocca in this car design’s name pays homage to the vent port of an active volcano through which lava flows.

-

In 1962, the car was discovered in England in poor condition and enveloped by a hedge. Hearing that this significant car still existed, the Pininfarina firm offered to rejuvenate it at its own expense if it could be returned to Italy in running condition. Upon its completion, rock star Eric Clapton purchased this car to enjoy its second lease on life, declaring it to be “the most fun I’ve had offstage and out of bed.” After what must have been a remarkable run, Pininfarina displayed this Lancia for several years at its museum located near Turin, Italy. Mattei took possession in 2009.

-

-

Mattei doesn’t fit the classic mold of a filthy rich, socially prominent car collector. He’s never won a trophy at Pebble Beach, and this is the first ever victory for any Lancia. That said, the six-year restoration Mattei commissioned was a sincere expression of his passion for Italian craftsmanship.

-

Since the Pebble Beach Concours began in 1950, only a few dozen members have earned admission to the Best of Show winners’ club. If this is your aspiration, begin preparing early. Founding a cosmetics company and nurturing it to global prominence is an excellent start. Or you could claw your way up the organizational ladder to head the world’s premier computer-software enterprise. Two have taken such paths to win the lovely Lalique crystal memento. Because the actual Best of Show silver cup is unique, the event’s organizers hold the three-foot-tall cup for you in perpetuity.

Of course, an exotic automobile polished to perfection also is required. Select a rare example constructed by a prestigious coachbuilder with the longest possible wheelbase and, ideally, open bodywork. Powerful one-off thoroughbreds commissioned by scions, stars, and celebrities are your best shot. Appoint a cost-no-object restorer to polish your gem. A black or deep blue finish accented by nickel plating does the best job of reflecting the late-afternoon Carmel Bay light.

-

-

To reach the pinnacle of Pebble’s pass-in-review podium, you must first earn First in Class distinction, no mean feat in itself. At this year’s Concours, more than 100 expert judges plied the links searching for the slightest deviation from strict originality in the field of 229 cars and motorcycles divided into 28 classes. Class judges focus on authenticity. Honorary Judges assess design and elegance qualities for special recognition. The Show Chairman, the Chief Judge, the Chief Honorary Judge, and select Class Judges submit ballots for the Best of Show award after observing First in Class winners pass in review. While the final pick is allegedly a popularity contest, exactly what transpires behind closed doors is known only to two or three top officials. A magnificent 1938 Delahaye 165 Figoni et Falaschi cabriolet owned by the late concours patron Robert Lee was the crowd’s clear show favorite. Anne Brockinton Lee of Sparks, Nevada, did win the First in Class trophy in the exceptionally competitive prewar Delahaye class.

Those enjoying this year’s show experienced wide-ranging California weather conditions—hazy dampness early, clearing by noon, just the right amount of cloud cover to take the edge off the afternoon heat, and cool breezes to charm those who waited to toast the winning cars and motorcycles.

-

At day’s end, only champagne rained on this parade of elegance, but not the magnum of Moët presented, along with a specially inscribed Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust watch, to Richard Mattei. He wisely preserved that keepsake to enjoy some other day.

Korean parents, an Italian name, an exterior sculpted by a German, and a tag that says made in Mexico. This sounds like a recipe for schizophrenia, but the Kia Forte S somehow rises above its world-weary pedigree. This is the new-for-2017 bargain-basement (starting at $20,500) sports-sedan trim level that responds in meaningful ways to the gripes we’ve heaped on past Fortes. READ MORE ››

Peel back the Chevy Bolt’s androgynous design and you’ll find a car with more than its share of electrons. In case you haven’t heard, this is a pure battery-powered electric with no combustion to drive you home when the juice runs low. But don’t fret; thanks to its ample electron supply, the Bolt offers a claimed 200-mile range. There’s also plenty of space for passengers and their stuff, and the Bolt’s attitude is highly congenial. We discovered that last item on a 50-mile drive with the Bolt’s chief engineer, Josh Tavel, riding shotgun, absorbing our barrage of questions. READ MORE ››

Modern simulation tools and digital design aids allow carmakers to sculpt exteriors without building prototypes or carving clay models for wind-tunnel evaluation. There are applications for creating and developing engines, transmissions, and chassis components. But when it comes to the fine art of designing interiors, the tool of choice is the 50-year-old contrivance shown here called an H-Point Machine (HPM).

-

The fundamental data point revealed by this human surrogate is the precise location of a seated occupant’s hip joint, hence the name. Why does that matter? Because humans touch more parts of the car than would a rabid octopus. The design process thus begins at the H-point with the noble aim of comfortably accommodating occupants, but it quickly encompasses roof height, door openings, passenger restraints, airbag operation, collision performance, outward visibility, and driver fatigue. The list goes on.

-

The HPM consists of two molded-plastic pans that mimic the back sides of a human’s thighs, buttocks, and torso. True to life, these components hinge about the H-point, which is precisely indicated by crosshairs. Steel components serve the skeletal role, providing a means of connecting lower leg, ankle, and foot proxies and placing weights at appropriate locations. Bubble levels and protractor scales facilitate installation and measurement tasks. The HPM is designed to compress the seat cushion and backrest exactly like a human; the beauty of this tool is that it never needs a restroom break or a day off.

-

-

The HPM mimics a 50th-percentile, 69.1-inch-tall man weighing 172 pounds. Lower-leg components are adjustable, ranging from male 10th- to 95th-percentile lengths. In its J1100 standard, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), which manufactures and sells the HPM, defines dozens of interior measurements. They’re in wide use by the EPA (to define vehicle classes), NHTSA (to position dummies for crash tests), and ISO (International Organization for Standardization). The passenger-volume figures we report also come from the HPM via the SAE’s J1100 standard.

-

One of the most interesting dimensions revealed by HPM measurements is what SAE calls H5: the vertical distance from the ground to the H-point. While that statistic speaks volumes about the character of any car or truck, it’s rarely reported. To shine light on this shadowy area, ArtCenter College of Design authorities Stuart Macey and Geoff Wardle published an instruction book, H-Point: The Fundamentals of Car Design & Packaging. Here’s one of their survey tabulations:

-

Vehicle Type: H-Point Height (range in inches)

-

Sports car: 11.8–13.8

-

Passenger car: 15.7–19.7

-

Minivan: 27.6–29.5

-

SUV: 27.6–31.5

-

Large truck: 27.6–37.4

-

Supporting our curiosity in this area, the SAE has assigned Hieronymus—the HPM shown here—to our garage. This new staff member will help compile our data bank of H5 measurements. We’ll also use this handy tool to quantify exactly how much roof pillars diminish the driver’s outward visibility. Thanks, Hieronymus, for all that you reveal.

No one at GM challenged our recent informed speculation concerning the 2018 Corvette Stingray ZR1, silent confirmation that we’re probably right on. As further evidence that something special is heading our way early next year we offer a second round of sky-view photos of this ultimate C7, which we expect will boast 700 horsepower.

-

These pics, recently scored in broad daylight at GM’s Milford Proving Grounds in Michigan, clearly reveal two substantial struts attached to the Stingray’s tail, obviously for supporting an aerodynamic appendage. Look through the test car’s hatch to see said appendage swaddled in bubble wrap. Click through the photo gallery to see more.

The Corvette development group is in the midst of choosing between hydraulic and pneumatic actuators for an adjustable rear wing intended for production. Will adaptive aerodynamics provide a dramatic statement for the ZR1, or is this research for the mid-engine C8 generation that begins in 2019? That we can’t say with certainty. But, given the flood of photos coming from high above Milford as evidence that development is proceeding apace, the answer could surface soon.

The Dodge Durango R/T is the longer-wheelbase, slightly racier sibling to Jeep’s better-known Grand Cherokee. Named after a Colorado town boasting fewer than 17,000 residents and its own narrow-gauge railroad, the Durango has an interesting lineage. Like the 2011–2017 Grand Cherokee, the current generation was designed and developed in the era of DaimlerChrysler, the car-company marriage made in hell. While most three-row SUVs ride on stout body-on-frame foundations, this is a theoretically lighter and more space-efficient unibody design assembled in the Motor City. Like most things, weight is relative: The specimen reviewed here registered a hefty 5369 pounds on our scales. READ MORE ››

Like countless other 19th-century inventors, entrepreneurs, and tinkerers, British engineer James Atkinson sought ways to improve on the Otto four-stroke combustion engine, first produced in 1876. The engine he patented in 1882 had variable stroke lengths provided by a multilink connecting rod between the piston and the flywheel. While Atkinson’s engines weren’t successful, his thermodynamic cycle is still in wide use, mainly in gas-electric hybrids. The key advantage is higher efficiency than is achievable in an Otto engine, albeit with some loss of low-speed output. The Atkinson cycle is ideal for hybrids because their electric motor(s) make up for the lost low-speed output.

-

The Atkinson cycle delays the intake valve’s closing until the piston has completed 20 to 30 percent of its upward travel on the compression stroke. As a result, some of the fresh charge is driven back into the intake manifold by the rising piston so the cylinder is never completely filled (hence the low-speed power reduction). The payoff comes after ignition when the piston begins descending on the expansion (also called power) stroke. Consistent with Atkinson’s original thinking, the shortened intake stroke combined with a full-length expansion stroke squeezes more work out of every increment of fuel.

-

-

-

-

In most engines, the compression ratio is set as high as the engine can stand short of detonation in pursuit of power and efficiency. Compression and expansion ratios are the same in an Otto engine. Atkinson wins on efficiency because its expansion ratio is significantly larger than its compression ratio.

American engineer Ralph Miller chimed in with another useful patent in 1957. His cycle was intended for use with two- and four-stroke engines running on gasoline, diesel, or gaseous fuels such as propane. The added ingredient is a supercharger that supplies a pressurized and intercooled intake charge to compensate for the low-speed power lost with the Atkinson approach. Miller also called for a “compression control valve” to vent excess pressure from the combustion chamber at times. The Mazda Millenia, sold here beginning in 1994, was the most notable production car to use the Miller cycle.

Gas prices have dipped nearly 50 cents per gallon in a year, providing suburban cowboys with a guilt-free opportunity to scratch that off-road itch. Enter GMC with a well-timed All Terrain X package for the Sierra 1500. READ MORE ››

What It Is: Aerial-photo confirmation that our speculation concerning the last C7 Corvette great is legit. Building on 1990–1995 King of the Hill and 2009–2013 Blue Devil heritage, the 2018 ZR1 will be the ultimate front-engined Corvette and a sure collector’s item. Our images captured at GM’s Milford, Michigan, proving grounds show a hotted-up Stingray in the final phase of development. Close inspection reveals blue-painted opposed-piston brake calipers, gaping front-fascia intercooler air intakes, and attachment locations for an adjustable(?) rear airfoil. READ MORE ››